Volvo unleash limited edition tuned S60 This scorching new version of the Volvo S60 has been given the hardcore treatment by tuners Heico Sportiv.
Meet a Volvo with a difference! This is a limited edition performance version of the new S60, which has been beefed up by tuning firm Heico Sportiv – who have been bringing out hot versions of the Swedish firm’s production cars for nearly 20 years.

Only 100 examples of the S60 T6 Design will be produced, all finished in menacing Black Sapphire metallic paint, and all left-hand drive. Under the bonnet, a remapped engine management system means that the V6 turbo’s power has been upped to 328bhp – a 26bhp increase – while torque has also been lifted, now a healthy 460Nm.    

That translates to a 0-62mph sprint time of just 5.8 seconds, charging on to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph. However despite the impressive stats the T6 will still manage 27.4mpg.

The suspension has been upgraded to cope, with tougher new springs lowering the whole car by 30mm, and the T6 comes with permanent four-wheel drive. To add some visual aggression, a new front spoiler and rear diffuser combo made from a mixture of superlight plastic and carbon fibre have been added. A set of quad-exhausts have sprouted from the rear, and the specially designed set of 19-inch diamond-cut black alloys are wrapped in Pirelli PZERO tyres.  

Unfortunately this hardcore edition of the T6 won’t be available in the UK, but interested buyers will have to pay the equivalent of £53,000 (€63,968) for the privilege of owning one of the hottest Volvos in years.  

Ford F-150 Raptor SuperCrew Double Cab SuperCrew Raptor unveiled with 6.2-litre V8 engine.

In the UK, Ford’s performance offering is the impressive Focus RS. But in the US, the Blue Oval offers a rather different powered-up range-topping proposition.

Called the Raptor, the 6.2-litre V8-powered beast is based on Ford’s popular F-150 truck. As well as providing plenty of power to all four wheels, the Raptor features custom-developed Fox Racing dampers which can cope with high-speed off-road driving, including landings from sizeable jumps!

For the 2011 model year, the firm has added a Double Cab SuperCrew model to the line-up, which adds a second row of seats and 300mm to the wheelbase, and joins the already-launched standard cab version.

The Raptor was originally launched with ‘just’ a 5.4-litre V8. But that has now been ditched, with all cars coming with the firm’s 6.2-litre V8, which generates 405bhp and 588Nm – 100bhp and 94Nm more than the smaller unit.

As well as offering buyers the choice of two bodystyles, Ford has created a new colour, called Ingot Silver metallic which can be personalised with additional, contrasting matt black decals. On the inside, Ford now includes a 4.2-inch LCD display called the ‘Productivity Screen,’ which shows data on off-road and towing performance.

Sadly, the super-sized Raptor is only available in the US, where both of the 2011 model year cars are now ready for order at dealerships.

Renault Laguana facelift: First Pics Renault pull the wraps off an updated version of the Laguna ahead of its Paris debut.
The show-stoppers keep coming at Renault! These are the official pictures of the new Laguna that will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show, joining the European-spec Latitude which debuted in Moscow last week.

The evergreen French saloon has been updated for 2011 and sports a number of styling tweaks and mechanical changes intended to bring the Laguna’s styling closer to the rest of the range, although the coupé will remain unchanged.

The redesigned nose features a much narrower grille, outlined in chrome, that shares its look with the current Mégane GT. Chrome inserts also feature on the swept new foglight clusters, and the headlights have been topped off with a wide reflective ‘eyebrow’ to give the saloon a more imposing front end.

The new car will get an upgraded, cleaner version of the current 1.5 dCi engine, producing 108bhp but emitting just 120g/km of CO2, meaning the new Laguna would cost just £30 a year in road tax, and it will be exempt from the new showroom tax.

Inside, there are new options on all trim-levels, including a TomTom live satellite navigation system and a high-performance Bose sound system.  

The innovative 4Control four-wheel steering system, which aids handling and was previously only available on high powered GT versions of the Laguna, will now be an option on the best-selling 178bhp 2.0-litre diesel, the new car will be on sale in the U.K. by November, with exact prices and specs annouced closer to the release date.

Cruze hatchback first pictures Chevrolet to show off Cruze hatch at Paris Motor Show.
Meet the Cruze that’s hatching big plans in Europe! This compact version of the Cruze will be unveiled at the Paris motor show at the end of this month, and is the second of four new cars that will feature on the American firm’s stand.

The Cruze hatchback will join the Orlando that we showed you last week, as well as a facelift of the Captiva SUV, and a new version of the Aveo. The fastback design has an almost Japanese flavour, and the car looks similar to the Subaru Impreza in profile, although the big wheels and LED running lights from the show car are likely to be dropped from the production model.   

The Cruze saloon has recently overtaken the Aveo to become Chevrolet’s best selling car globally, so to broaden its appeal and further boost sales this new hatch is set to offer great value for money and compete with the likes of the Kia C’eed and Hyundai i30.

The hatch will offer nearly 400 litres of boot space, and although that’s 50 less than the saloon, a 60/40 folding seat arrangement and bigger load space should ensure this is the most practical Cruze yet.

Wayne Brannon, Managing Director of Chevrolet Europe, said that by offering a hatch back variant they were “sending out a signal that Chevrolet is now a serious mainstream player in Europe.”

The current Cruze comes in S, LS and LT trims, and the new car will continue to offer the familiar line-up of four-pot engines from  the saloon. That means either a 1.6 or a 1.8-litre with 112bhp or 139bhp. The diesel option is a 2.0L with 123bhp, and 300Nm of torque.

Prices should remain broadly the same as the current range, although the hatchback could end up costing less than its stable mate, starting at around £13,000 for the 1.6i S when it goes on sale mid-way through next year.  

Citroen C4 Estate spied Practical C4 wagon to join new C4, DS4 and facelifted C4 Picasso range.
Citroen has loaded up the C4 Estate! The French firm will pull the wraps off its all-new Ford Focus-rivalling C4, stylish DS4 and facelifted C4 Picasso range at the Paris Motor Show. But that hasn’t stopped bosses giving the green light to a practical estate version of the C4 too.

Our spies captured the first pictures of the practical addition to the range hot weather testing in a very comprehensive disguise. However, expect the estate to feature the same handsome new look as the regular C4 hatchback from the bottom of the windscreen forwards.

From there back, the estate gains a gently curving roofline to give a more dynamic appearance, and a short rear overhang to reduce the car’s bulk. However, despite the design flair, boot space is expected to be around 500-litres, to compete against the 482-litres offered by the Ford Focus Estate, and 505-litres of the VW Golf Estate.

The engine range is carried over from the C4 range, including 1.6-litre petrol and diesel units, and a range-topping 2.0-litre diesel. The 1.6-litre diesel HDi unit will be offered with the firm’s new e-HDi stop start system and regenerative alternator, which cuts carbon dioxide emissions to around 110g/km for the Estate.

Expect the latest addition to the C4 range to make its debut next year, most likely at the Geneva Motor Show in March, before going on sale in the summer.